It is not known for sure when cricket was first played at Rockliffe Park, but from past information, it seems certain that matches were played before 1900 when it was fashionable and part of the "Country Social Calendar" for cricket matches to take place between teams selected by local major landowners.

Regular cricket, however, was introduced in 1919 by then incumbent of Rockliffe Hall, Lord Southampton, who in an effort to encourage his son to take on other interests away from his main passion laid a square, built a pavilion from estate timber and gave his works permission to form a team - son included.

Prior to the 1914-18 war, both Hurworth and Croft villages had their own teams, but on the resumption of normal life after the war Hurworth no longer had a ground, it having been taken over for agricultural purposes during the conflict. Consequently, the Estate team was supplemented by interested local Hurworth village players.

That arrangement continued until 1927, when Croft club, for one reason or another, found they could no longer carry on and proposed an amalgamation between themselves and the Estate team, with the base at Rockliffe Park. This was accepted, and so was born the club we know today.

Local interest continued to support the club, which was by now becoming established as an important part of village life - after all whoever heard of a real English village without a cricket ground and team!

From 1927 to 1939, the club ran two Saturday Senior teams, and also played evening matches: all friendlies in those days. War came in 1939, and cricket ceased when the ground was taken over by the military. After the war, there was much hard work needed to restore the ground in time for the re-introduction of cricket in 1945/46.

In 1961 League cricket was introduced and with it came village pride in competition. There was pride also in the state of the ground and its original pavilion, which by now was showing the ravages of time, and which was replaced by a concrete pavilion in 1970 located adjacent to the current pavilion location.

Much had changed since those early days: the villages have grown bigger with far more inhabitants. With the growth in population, the interest of the villagers and the demand for improved facilities for all sports and leisure activities, particularly for young people.

The Club continued with two senior teams and also had a strong Junior interest with teams at Under 17s, Under 14s and Under 13s, all levels being catered for with regular cricket and coaching. The Juniors are all drawn from our local community, as are the vast majority of Senior players, for that is one of the club's aims: to provide cricket facilities for all local communities.

2013 seen the construction of the current pavilion, providing greater space and services to those who play cricket. The pavilion was proudly named Abbott Gent Pavilion, after the Club's president and vice-president Percy Abbott and John Gent.

Rockliffe Park was a founding member of the Darlington and District Cricket League, however, in 2016 The Club moved into the North Yorkshire South Durham ECB Premier League (NYSD) to pursue a higher standard of cricket and to provide a more structured approach for Junior league and competition which the NYSD offered. The Club has had a successful beginning to their NYSD cricket through winning the Division Three Championship (2017) and Ken Welsh League cup (2016, 2017). Off-field the Club has enjoyed equal success with the development of its facilities, in particular, an electronic scorebox, installation of solar power (2019), storage building (2021) and have constructed a dual-lane practice net facility (2021).